Condiment dispenser and method of using the same

ABSTRACT

A condiment dispenser apparatus which includes a first body member formed in a first shape having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of first protrusion members, a second body member formed in a second shape corresponding to the first body member, the second member having a plurality of second protrusions, and an elastic member coupled in between one or more first protrusion members and one or more second protrusion members to detachably fasten the second body member to the first body member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present general inventive concept relates generally to a dispenser, and more particularly to a condiment dispenser designed to reduce spillage and to simplify a maintenance and re-filling process.

2. Description of Related Art

Condiment dispensers have been developed and used for many years to help distribute grains or granules of a condiment, such as salt and pepper, over food items. However, conventional condiment dispensers (e.g., salt and pepper shakers) have many shortcomings in design and construction. For instance, typical condiment dispensers have cylindrical shaped storage compartments formed with a screwed on cap. As such, these types of condiment dispensers usually have a narrow opening through which to clean and refill the storage compartment. This tedious and time consuming task often leads to excessive spillage of the condiment around the narrow opening.

In addition, typical condiment dispensers are difficult to clean and maintain since the storage compartments are not easily accessible through the narrow opening. As a result, many users avoid properly cleaning the storage compartments of the condiment dispensers which would allow bacteria to grow and may lead to illness.

Therefore, what is needed is an improved condiment dispenser designed to be easily refilled, disassembled, and maintained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present general inventive concept provides a disc shaped condiment dispenser designed and/or configured to be easily disassembled, refilled, and maintained.

The present general inventive concept also provides a two-piece condiment dispenser detachably coupled together using an elastic member.

Additional aspects of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a condiment dispenser apparatus which includes a first body member formed in a first shape having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of first protrusion members, a second body member formed in a second shape corresponding to the first body member, the second member having a plurality of second protrusions and an elastic member coupled in between one or more first protrusion members and one or more second protrusion members to detachably fasten the second body member to the first body member.

The first shape may include a disc shape, a circular shape, a saucer shape, a rectangular shape, and a triangular shape.

The second shape may include a disc shape, a circular shape, a saucer shape, a rectangular shape, and a triangular shape.

The first body member may include a first inner surface and an opposing second outer surface.

The second body member may include a first inner surface and an opposing second outer surface.

The second body member may include a plurality of second recess members.

The first body member may include a plurality of first recess members.

A size and/or a shape of the plurality of first protrusion members of the first body member may correspond with and/or match a size and/or shape of the plurality of second recess members of the second body member.

A size and/or shape of the plurality of second protrusion members of the second body member may correspond with and/or match a size and/or shape of the plurality of first recess members of the first body member.

The elastic member may be formed in a circular shape.

The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept may also be achieved by providing a method of using a condiment dispenser, the condiment dispenser includes a first body member formed in a first shape having a plurality of through holes, a plurality of first protrusion members and a plurality of first recess members, a second body member formed in a second shape corresponding to the first body member, the second body member having a plurality of second protrusion members and a plurality of second recess members, and an elastic member coupled between one or more first protrusion members and one or more second protrusion members to detachably couple the second body member to the first body member, the method includes applying a first force in a first direction onto the elastic member to detach the first body member from the second body member, separating the first body member from the second body member, placing a condiment on an inner surface of the second body member, aligning the first body member to the second body member such that the plurality of first protrusion members corresponds to the plurality of second recess members, and attaching an elastic member between the first and second protrusion members to securely fasten the first body member to the second body member.

The method may further include cleaning an inner surface of at least one of the first and second body members.

The method may further include dispensing the condiment disposed stored within a storage cavity formed in between the first and second body members through the plurality of through holes.

The dispensing the condiment may include inverting the first and second body members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the example embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front top perspective view of a condiment dispenser according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded front perspective assembly view of the condiment dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a top plan view of the condiment dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the condiment dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the condiment dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the example embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The example embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates a front top perspective view of a condiment dispenser apparatus 100 according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded front perspective assembly view of the condiment dispenser 100 illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the condiment dispenser apparatus, referred herein generally as 100, includes a first body member 110 formed in a first shape, a second body member 120 formed in a second shape which may correspond to and/or match the first shape of the first body member 110, and an elastic member 130 (e.g., an O-ring, rubber band, or the like) which is used to detachably couple and/or securely fasten the second body member 120 to the first body member 110.

The first and second body members 110 and 120 may be formed in various sizes and shapes including disc, circular, saucer, rectangular, and triangular. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top plan view of the condiment dispenser 100 illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, in the present example embodiment, the first and second body members 110 and 120, respectively, are formed in a circular or disc shape and may include a plurality of protrusions which extend in a direction away from a central axis C1 of the first and second body members 110, 120.

In the present example embodiment, the first and second body members 110 and 120 may be formed in arc shape (in cross-section) such that when the first and second body members 110 and 120 are coupled (i.e., detachably secured) together, a storage cavity 140 (not illustrated) is formed in between an inner surface 110 b of the first body member 110 and an inner surface 120 b of the second body member 120. The first body member 110 has an outer surface 110 a and an inner surface 110 b formed in an arch-shape. The second body member 120 has an outer surface 120 a and an inner surface 120 b formed in an arch-shape corresponding to the first body member 110. As such, the storage cavity 140 may be formed and/or defined by the second surface 110 b of the first body member 110 and the second surface 120 b of the second body member 120 and may be configured to store condiments, such as salt, pepper, as well as various other spices. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto. That is, in alternative example embodiments, the storage cavity 140 may be configured to store various types of condiments and/or spices having various granule sizes. In addition, in alternative example embodiments, the storage cavity 140 may be formed and/or configured to store various types of liquids such as salad dressing or various other products, such as confectioner sugar and the like.

In alternative example embodiments, the first and second body members 110 and 120 may be formed in various sizes and shape such that storage cavity 140 formed between the first and second body members 110 and 120 provide a desired capacity or volume to store various types of condiments.

In the present example embodiment, the first body member 110 may include a plurality of through holes 112 which are configured to allow the various condiments and/or spices stored within the storage cavity 140 to easily pass through the first body member 110.

The size, shape, and hole pattern of the plurality of through holes 112 may vary depending on a granule size of a desired condiment and/or an amount of condiment desired to be dispensed during each shake or movement of the condiment dispenser 100.

In the present example embodiment, the first body member 110 includes a plurality of first protrusions 114 and a plurality of first recess members 116 disposed around a perimeter of the first body member 110. Similarly, the second body member 120 includes a plurality of second protrusions 122 and a plurality of second recess members 124 disposed around a perimeter of the second body member 120. The first and second body members 110 and 120 may further include a plurality of recess members 116, 124 formed in between adjacent protrusions of the plurality of protrusions 114, 122 and which correspond in size, shape, and location to the plurality of protrusions 114, 122.

That is, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the first body member 110 may be coupled to the second body member 120 such that the first protrusions 114 of the first body member 110 are inserted within at least a portion of the second recess members 124 formed within the second body member 120. Similarly, the second protrusions 122 of the second body member 120 are inserted within at least a portion of the first recess members 116 of the first body member 110.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first protrusions 114 of the first body member 110 align with and couple to the second recess members 124 formed within the second body member 120. Similarly, the second protrusions 122 align with and couple to the first recess members 116 formed within the first body member 110.

In the present example embodiment, a width dimension W1 of the first recess members 116 corresponds to and/or matches a width dimension W2 of a second protrusion 122. Likewise, a width dimension W3 of the second recess members 124 corresponds to and/or matches a width dimension W4 of a first protrusion member 114.

In the present example embodiment, the condiment dispenser 100 may be formed in a circular shape having an outer diameter (e.g., of the first and second body members 110, 120) of about two inches to about six inches. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto. That is, in alternative example embodiments, the outer diameters of the first body member 110 and the second body member 120 may vary as desired.

Referring to FIG. 1, the first body member 110 is coupled to the second body member 120 when the first protrusions 114 are seated within the second recess members 124 and the elastic member 130 is disposed around the first and second protrusions 114 and 122. That is, the elastic member 130 may be formed in a circular shape such as an O-ring and may be configured to detachably couple the first body member 110 to the second body member 120 by applying a compressive force on the first and second protrusions 114, 122. Once the first body member 110 and the second body member 120 are fitted together, the elastic member 130 is first stretched and then disposed on the first and second protrusions 114 and 122. As such, the elastic member 130 applies a force (e.g. a compressive force) onto the outer surfaces of the first and second protrusions 114 and 122, thereby securely fastening the first body member 110 to the second body member 120. As a result, the storage cavity 140 may be easily accessed by removing the elastic member 130 in order to refill, clean, and/or maintain the storage cavity 140.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the condiment dispenser 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 and

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the condiment dispenser illustrated in FIG. 1.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, the first protrusion member 114 may extend in a first angle A1 and the second protrusion member 122 may extend in second angle A2. In the present example embodiment, the first and second angle may be about 45 degrees. However, the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.

In alternative exemplary embodiments, the second body member 120 may be used to coat a condiment such as sugar or salt around a rim of a glass, once the first body member 110 is detached from the second body member 120.

Although a few example embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these example embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A condiment dispenser apparatus comprising: a first body member formed in a first shape having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of first protrusion members; a second body member formed in a second shape corresponding to the first body member, the second member having a plurality of second protrusions; and an elastic member coupled between one or more first protrusion members and one or more second protrusion members to detachably fasten the second body member to the first body member.
 2. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first shape includes a disc shape, a circular shape, a saucer shape, a rectangular shape, and a triangular shape.
 3. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second shape includes a disc shape, a circular shape, a saucer shape, a rectangular shape, and a triangular shape.
 4. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first body member includes a first inner surface and an opposing second outer surface.
 5. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second body member includes a first inner surface and an opposing second outer surface.
 6. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second body member includes a plurality of second recess members.
 7. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first body member includes a plurality of first recess members.
 8. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 6, wherein a size or shape of the plurality of first protrusion members of the first body member corresponds with a size or shape of the plurality of second recess members of the second body member.
 9. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 6, wherein a size or shape of the plurality of second protrusion members of the second body member corresponds with a size or shape of the plurality of first recess members of the first body member.
 10. The condiment dispenser apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic member is formed in a circular shape.
 11. A method of using a condiment dispenser, the condiment dispenser comprising a first body member formed in a first shape having a plurality of through holes, a plurality of first protrusion members and a plurality of first recess members, a second body member formed in a second shape corresponding to the first body member, the second body member having a plurality of second protrusion members and a plurality of second recess members, and an elastic member coupled between one or more first protrusion members and one or more second protrusion members to detachably couple the second body member to the first body member, the method comprising: applying a first force in a first direction onto the elastic member to detach the first body member from the second body member; separating the first body member from the second body member; placing a condiment on an inner surface of the second body member; aligning the first body member to the second body member such that the plurality of first protrusion members corresponds to the plurality of second recess members; and attaching an elastic member between the first and second protrusion members to securely fasten the first body member to the second body member.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising cleaning an inner surface of at least one of the first and second body members.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising dispensing the condiment disposed stored within a storage cavity formed in between the first and second body members through the plurality of through holes.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dispensing the condiment includes inverting the first and second body members. 